Iran has called on World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to unequivocally condemn what it described as “deliberate” military strikes on civilians and healthcare infrastructure by Israel and the United States, urging accountability under international law for alleged war crimes.
In a formal letter dated June 27, Iran’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations Office in Geneva cited extensive civilian casualties and damage to medical facilities as a result of strikes between June 13 and 24 during the escalating conflict.
“I write to formally bring to your attention the unlawful and reckless military attacks carried out by the Israeli regime and the United States of America… These reprehensible actions… constitute flagrant violations of international law, including the UN Charter,” the letter stated.
According to Iranian authorities, the conflict caused the deaths of 627 civilians, including women, children, and healthcare workers, while injuring 4,935 others. Among the injured were 29 relief workers from the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS).
Iran further accused the Israeli and US forces of targeting key civilian infrastructure, listing hospitals and healthcare centers in Tehran, Kermanshah, and Mianrahan, as well as the IRCS central building and several ambulances, as having been severely damaged. The attacks, Iran asserted, meet the criteria for “war crimes under international law.”
The letter also highlighted the strikes on IAEA-monitored nuclear sites in Iran, warning that the attacks risked triggering a radiological disaster in the region. It argued that such actions contradict the WHO Constitution and prior WHO resolutions aimed at safeguarding global public health.
“In light of these violations… the Islamic Republic of Iran urgently calls upon the World Health Organization to condemn these deliberate attacks on civilians and healthcare infrastructure and hold the Israeli regime accountable,” the letter stated.
The appeal follows a series of escalating military operations: Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion,” Iran’s counteroffensive “Operation True Promise 3,” and the United States’ “Operation Midnight Hammer.” The conflict culminated in a US-brokered ceasefire, announced by President Donald Trump after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on American bases in Qatar and Iraq.
Iran has framed the appeal to WHO as part of its broader diplomatic push to spotlight civilian harm and demand international accountability in the aftermath of the 12-day conflict.
